Great news on the regional transit authority front.

The RTA Task Force and ACOG have selected Holmes & Associates LLC of Salt Lake City, Utah as lead consultant to provide legal, governance, funding, operational and other guidance as the Task Force moves forward with its mission of creating a regional transit authority for the Oklahoma City metro area.

Holmes is directed by Kathryn Pett Holmes, who has extensive legal, governance, funding and right-of-way experience working with a number of regional transit authorities and federal transportation agencies. Ms. Holmes served as General Counsel and Secretary for the Utah Transit Authority and as General Counsel for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. She has also worked extensively with the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration.

As the Task Force views Salt Lake City's very successful light rail and commuter rail system as a model for Oklahoma City's future regional rail transit system, Ms. Holmes extensive background in the development, funding and management of that system will be very beneficial to our efforts to create a similar system for the OKC metro area.

It is anticipated that Holmes will spend the next 12-18 months working with the RTA Task Force, ACOG and the participating metro area city governments to draft an official regional transit authority enabling agreement for consideration and approval by the city councils of those municipalities that will be a part of the new RTA.

Stay tuned for more information as it develops.